A Christmas Eclipse
by nyxxxxx
Summary: It's the night of a luna eclipse just before christmas and Lucius spends it contemplating the special witch in his company. Rated T just to be safe.Unbetaed. A Challenge fic from Jinxxed4ever. My first so constructive critisism welcome but no flames plz.


A/N I own nothing but the plot and I'm making no money from this.

A Christmas Eclipse

Slowly opening his eyes, Lucius straightened up from the Louis the XIV arm chair that currently held place near to the main Roaring fire of the manors drawing room. The crackling of burning kindle continued to give of a faint sweet smouldering odour that was not unpleasant. One of the house elves must have added more wood to the flames to keep the blaze alight he mused. The half finished glass tumbler of Ogden's finest had also been removed. Casting a quick tempus spell Lucius knew it had some how ended up very late in the evening. Silver snake cane in hand , standing up- right Lucius winced at the familiar aches the cold English winters left him with if he remained slumped in any position for too long. While still relatively young and virile Lucius had to concede if only to himself that his earlier years as a Death eater were starting to take there toll. More and more he found himself lured by the comfortable luxury of the arm chair he had purchased what seemed like so long ago.

Smiling fondly Lucius remembered his initial reasons for buying the antique chair. Shortly after the war and things had started to settle down, he had by some miracle escaped further imprisonment using plenty of Malfoy galleons and even more Malfoy charm. On that very day he had been given a full pardon thus allowing him to stroll down Diagon Alley feeling very smug in knowing that he was still a free man despite a few uncouth, vapid peasants wishes to the contrary. While there Lucius had found himself stopping by a curious little establishment . Having spied the striking piece Lucius had promptly purchased it as a modest gift to himself since he was in want of a new one anyway. The chair provided him a more than adequate place to sit during quiet evenings in full view of the Grandiose French doors the room boasted.

Lucius didn't particularly care for December snow as it fell gently yet surely all around the manors vast grounds. Truth be told he preferred beauty in warmer forms than the icy landscape the manor provided at present. The various peacocks and exotic flora that usually covered the gardens were no longer there to be admired until the spring and summer months when they would once again come alive in full regal splendour. Even if they remained the night's dark Luna eclipse would prevent one from fully appreciating the beauty.

No it was the flaxen haired beauty that stood just outside the doors looking at her name- sake that enthralled him so. She radiates a soft glow that is in stark contrast to the lack of light from the inky darkness outside. Luna Lovegood, how peculiar that he would take such pleasure sitting and watching his witch gaze up into the night sky with such a dream like expression evident on her lovely face. Unlike the moon currently hiding from view for him, Luna's beauty and gentle strength would never be eclipsed. Neither her mothers unfortunate death at an early age or the time she had been forced to languish in the now sealed Malfoy dungeons during the war had succeeded in tarnishing Luna's unique quirks. Many a time he contemplated this strange attraction he had quite willingly fallen into. Having such a gorgeous creature who was far closer to his son in age to call his own served to reinforce his ego in quite a satisfying way. Such an astonishing delight it was to find that they not only found each others company acceptable but indeed relished the many hours they spent together. Again unlike the Moon, Luna concealed nothing. She hide nothing despite her mysterious persona if one knew how to look. For a slytherin more accustomed to secrets and layers upon layers of sinister and twisted machinations Luna's unassuming honesty was frankly refreshing. The immediate acceptance of the offer to join him in his home would have been shocking if his vanity had allowed it. The, in Lucius' mind, not so small concession of allowing her small group of friends to occasionally visit had turned out to have been worth the nuisance of suffering their presence in the end. It was understood that such visits always take place when he was other wise occupied in some other wing of the manor or had left the manor to perform errands pertaining to the Ministry of Magic or various Malfoy businesses and such. Often their Quiet evenings would include small exchanges of the days events, both never asking for more than the other was willing to permit.

Frequently there was the desire to inquire as to what his witch would think about while staring up into space. Did those ruminations involve Crumple whatever they were called or a new type of Nargle maybe? Maybe it was some other new fantastic magical creature that had captured her imagination. It was amusing to listen to her speak of all those things in such earnest even if he had no belief in them himself.

Coming to stand close to his witch she leaned into him. Pressing her back into his broad chest. Her body seeking the heat of his own. seeking a shield from the bitter chill a warming charm was rarely remembered nor was it needed. His witch had saved him from the coldness and he would do no less for her in return. She didn't turn round, not yet.

It would be a long day tomorrow. It was nearly Christmas after all. A day in Diagon alley promised to be draining and there was still Draco's present . I had already opted to let Luna choose the gift due to an un extraordinary ability of knowing what gift would suit whom.

"Come pet the hour is late and I think we should retire"

Gently he places his hands on her shoulders and she allows him to direct her away from the doors and escort her back inside leaving the eclipsed moon behind them.


End file.
